Tag Archives: olive oil

Fusilli with Spinach and Sun-Dried-Tomato Pesto, Jennifer Kosco

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3/4 cup pine nuts
15 drained oil-packed sun-dried tomatoes, 5 of them chopped
1/2 cup olive oil
1/3 cup water
1 1/4 teaspoons salt
1 pound fusilli
1/4 pound spinach leaves, shredded (about 2 cups)
1 cup halved cherry tomatoes (about 6 ounces)
1/4 cup grated Parmesan

1. In a small frying pan, toast the pine nuts over moderately low heat, stirring frequently, until golden brown, about 5 minutes; remove from the pan. Or toast the pine nuts in a 350° oven for 5 to 10 minutes.

2. In a blender or food processor, put 1/4 cup of the pine nuts, the whole sun-dried tomatoes, the oil, water, 1/2 teaspoon of the salt, and 1/4 teaspoon of the pepper. Puree until smooth.

3. Meanwhile, in a large pot of boiling, salted water, cook the fusilli until just done, about 13 minutes. Drain. Rinse with cold water and drain thoroughly.

4. In a large glass or stainless-steel bowl, toss the pasta with the remaining 1/2 cup toasted pine nuts, 3/4 teaspoon salt, and 1/4 teaspoon pepper, the pesto, the chopped sun-dried tomatoes, the spinach, cherry tomatoes, and Parmesan.

Variations
• Use chopped walnuts instead of pine nuts.
• Add half a cup of roughly chopped pitted black olives to the salad.

Cucumber Cream With Tomato Salsa from Weeknight Vegetarian

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  • 2 1/2 pounds cucumbers (6 to 8 large or 16 to 20 Kirbys), peeled
  • 3 scallions, trimmed
  • 1 1/2 cups water
  • 2 teaspoons white wine vinegar, plus more as needed
  • 1/2 teaspoon sea salt, plus more as needed
  • 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper, plus more as needed
  • 1 medium tomato
  • 1 tablespoon shredded fresh basil
  • 1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil

Peel the cucumbers and cut them in half lengthwise. Use a small spoon to scoop out/discard the seeds.

Cut enough of the cucumbers into 1/2-inch dice to yield 1/2 cup. Cover and refrigerate it for the salsa.

Cut the remaining cucumbers into 1-inch chunks. Chop 2 of the scallions.

Combine the larger cucumber chunks, chopped scallions, water, vinegar, 1/2 teaspoon of salt and 1/4 teaspoon of pepper in a food processor or blender; puree until smooth. Taste, and add vinegar, salt and/or pepper as needed. Pour into an airtight container and refrigerate until cold, about 2 hours.  4 servings; makes about 4 cups

Just before serving, cut the tomato in half through the stem end. Discard the core and squeeze the halves to discard some of the gel/seeds and juice. Cut the remaining tomato into 1/2-inch dice and transfer to a small bowl.

Thinly slice the remaining scallion and add to the bowl, along with the reserved, diced cucumber and the basil. Toss with the oil and season lightly with salt and pepper.

Taste the soup again for seasoning (it will be more muted when cold), and add vinegar, salt or pepper as needed. Divide among chilled bowls, top each portion with some of the salsa, and serve.

Dill potato Salad – Food 52

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I wanted a new potato salad recipe and found this one! We loved it! I’m sure all you folks who don’t like sugar in this type of recipe could leave it out for sure! We really enjoyed it! Phtllis Keating

Food52

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Author Notes: An aging English artist made a salad like this for me one hot summer day, as an unfiltered Camel hung from his lip… The flavor of the salad made me forgive the cigarette. The combination seemed unlikely, but it is now my favorite picnic salad: bright with vinegar, crunchy with dill and green onions, soft and creamy from the potatoes, with a hint of the fish and chip shop! Apply the dressing while the potatoes are hot: it is important that they absorb the oil and vinegar. (less) – Marie Viljoen

2 pounds small red -skinned potatoes, halved
1/4 cup good cider vinegar
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon sugar
copious amounts of black pepper
1/3 cup EV olive oil
1 bunch scallions, cleaned and chopped (greens, too)
1 bunch fresh dill, chopped (yield = 3/4 cup)

Cook the potatoes in boiling water to which you’ve added some salt. While they are cooking thoroughly whisk together the vinegar, salt, sugar, pepper and oil. Drain potatoes when just-cooked. In a large bowl add the dressing to the hot potatoes and stir gently. Add the dill and scallions and mix well.I use my hands in order not to break the potatoes too much. Lick your fingers. The salad is very good warm, and equally good cold, later. Serves 4

One Pot Kale and Quinoa Pilaf, food 52

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2 cups salted water
1 cup quinoa
1 bunch lacinato kale, washed and chopped into 1″ lengths
1 meyer lemon, zested and juiced
2 scallions, minced
1 tablespoon toasted walnut oil
3 tablespoons toasted pine nuts
1/4 cup crumbled goat cheese
salt and pepper

Bring the water to a boil in a covered pot. Add the quinoa, cover, and lower the heat until it is just enough to maintain a simmer. Let simmer for 10 minutes, then top with the kale and re-cover. Simmer another 5 minutes, then turn off the heat and allow to steam for 5 more minutes.

While the quinoa is cooking, take a large serving bowl and combine half of the lemon juice (reserving the other half), all of the lemon zest, scallions, walnut oil (you can substitute olive oil if you desire), pine nuts, and goat cheese.

Check the quinoa and kale when the cooking time has completed — the water should have absorbed, and the quinoa will be tender but firm, and the kale tender and bright green. If the quinoa still has a hard white center, you can steam a bit longer (adding more water if needed). When the quinoa and kale are done, fluff the pilaf, and tip it into the waiting bowl with the remaining ingredients. As the hot quinoa hits the scallions and lemon it should smell lovely. Toss to combine, seasoning with salt and pepper, and the remaining lemon juice if needed.

The Silver Palate’s Green Sauce

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  • 2 cups fresh parsley leaves
  • 3 scallions (green onions, white and green parts), sliced
  • 1/2 cup fresh dill sprigs
  • 3 anchovy fillets, drained
  • 3 cloves garlic, roughly chopped
  • 1 tablespoon capers, drained
  • 6t ablespoons fresh lemon juice
  • 3/4 cups olive oil
  • Salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
  • 2 hard-cooked eggs, finely chopped
  1. Mince the parsley, scallions, and dill in a food processor fitted with a steel blade. Add the anchovies, garlic, capers, and lemon juice. Process until smooth. With the machine running, add the oil in a thin, steady stream. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Remove to a serving bowl and stir in the eggs. Makes 1 1/2 cups

A sauce in spring green that goes with everything from asparagus to salmon to Easter hams and lambs (and the perfect place to put those leftover hard-boiled eggs). Adapted slightly from The Silver Palate Good Times Cookbook

Make a huge batch on Easter. Set it out on the table with your lamb or ham. The next day, spoon it over poached salmon. Bundle boiled new potatoes all up in it, then take them to work with you. Pool it on top of grilled chicken, or shrimp, or steak. Dunk spears of blanched asparagus. And radishes. And fennel.

There’s almost nothing you will cook for dinner this season (or the next) that you won’t want to cover in green sauce.

 

Molly Wizenberg & Brandon Pettit’s Red Wine Vinaigrette from http://food52.com

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Makes about 1/2 cup

  • 2 tablespoons Dijon mustard (preferably Roland Extra Strong, Beaufor, or Edmond Fallot)
  • 1 1/2 tablespoon red wine vinegar
  • 2 teaspoons red wine
  • Pinch of fine sea salt
  • Pinch of sugar
  • 1/4 cup (60 milliliters) olive oil
  1. In a jar or small bowl, whisk together the mustard, vinegar, wine, salt, and sugar. Gradually add the olive oil, whisking to emulsify. The dressing should look opaque and somewhat creamy, almost peachy in color.
  2. Note: This dressing will keep in the refrigerator indefinitely.

Author Notes: This is a trick for making any old vinegar taste like something fancy, with just a splash of red wine. Feel free to play around with it: Pettit also likes to reinforce white wine vinegar with dry bubbly, and he’s considered apple cider vinegar with a sour beer (like Duchesse de Bourgogne) too. Adapted slightly from Delancey: A Man, a Woman, a Restaurant, a Marriage

Roasted Beet, Sweet Potato & Kale Salad With Horseradish Dressing

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  • 1 large sweet potato, diced into 1/2 inch cubes
  • 4 beets (red, golden or a combination), peeled and diced into 1/2 inch cubes
  • 1 head of kale (either curly or lacinato), chopped
  • 1/2 cup quinoa, rinsed (or buy the pre-rinsed quinoa)

Preheat oven to 425 degrees Fahrenheit.

Dice sweet potato into 1/2-inch cubes. Peel fresh beets (can use red, golden or a combination — please be careful with red beets because their color bleeds) and dice into 1/2 inch cubes.

Toss on a baking sheet with extra-virgin olive oil, salt, and pepper. Bake for about 40-45 minutes, tossing occasionally until the vegetables are soft.

While the vegetables are cooking, blanch the kale to reduce bitterness and soften the greens. To blanch, stir the chopped kale leaves into boiling water for 2-3 minutes, drain, then run under cold water to stop the cooking process.

Rinse 1/2 cup of quinoa (skip this step if you bought pre-rinsed quinoa), put the rinsed quinoa and 1 cup of water in a pot, and bring to a boil. Once the water comes to a boil, turn the flame down to a low heat, cover the pot, and let the quinoa simmer for 12-15 minutes or until the liquid is absorbed.

Ingredients for horseradish dressing

  • 1 1/2 Tbsp. apple cider vinegar
  • 1 1/2 Tbsp. Dijon mustard
  • 1/2 tsp. salt
  • 1/4 tsp. pepper
  • 2 Tbsp. horseradish
  • 1 Tbsp. extra-virgin olive oil
  • 2 Tbsp. low sodium vegetable stock

Put all ingredients in a container, put the lid on, and shake vigorously to combine. You can also use a blender, if preferred.

Combine the cooked vegetables and quinoa with the horseradish dressing. Can be served warm, room temperature or cold.  Serves 4

Lentil shepherd’s Pie by Simon Bryant

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30ml olive oil
1 onion diced
3 garlic cloves
3 stalks celery diced (and heart)
3 bay leaves
6 sprigs thyme
1 tsp Carroway seeds
Sprig of rosemary
200g mushrooms diced
2 tbls tomato paste
1 can diced tomtatoes
300g brown lentils (soaked for several hours overnight, simmer from cold in just enough
veggie stock to cover & cook till just soft, do not drain)
100g green beans sliced into 1cm pieces
2 carrots diced
1 litre Veg stock or water
25 ml red wine vinegar
1 tbls Lemon zest
Handful of dried wild mushroom mix, ground to fine powder(optional for extra flavour)
1/3 bunch parsley chopped
Salt and pepper to taste

Mashed potatoes 
500g potatoes
Salt and white pepper
80g butter
100ml Milk
1  tsp Mace
1/4 cup Parmesan

Heat the oil in a large frypan and add the onion and garlic and saute for a few minutes. Add the celery, carrot, carroway seeds, rosemary, bay leaves and thyme. Saute for a few minutes and then add mushrooms.

Deglaze with red wine vinegar then add tomato paste and diced tomatoes and cook out for a few minutes.  Season to taste.

Add lemon zest , mushroom powder , beans and cooked lentils in the stock they cooked in. Simmer until most of the liquid has evaporated.

Season to taste, remove thyme sprigs and bay leaf.
Pour into a baking dish and top with mashed potatoes and bake until golden brown.

For mashed potatoes, boil them in salted water until soft.
Drain off water and dry in the pan before mashing with butter and milk.
Season to taste.

 

Ottolenghi’s ‘Very Full Tart’ From Plenty by Yotam Ottolenghi and Sami Timimi

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1 red bell pepper
1 yellow bell pepper
about 6 Tablespoons olive oil
1 medium eggplant, cut into 2-inch dice
salt and black pepper
1 small sweet potato, peeled and cut into 1-inch dice
1 small zucchini, cut into 1-inch dice
2 medium onions, thinly sliced
2 bay leaves
11 oz pie crust dough
8 thyme sprigs, leaves picked
1/3 cup ricotta
4 1/4 oz feta
7 cherry tomatoes, halved
2 medium eggs
1 cup heavy cream

Preheat the oven to 450 degrees. Use a small serrated knife to cut around the stem of the peppers and lift it out along with the seeds. Shake the peppers to remove all the remaining seeds; discard the stems and seeds. Place the two peppers in a small ovenproof dish, drizzle with a little oil and put on the top shelf in the oven.

Mix the eggplant in a bowl with 4 tablespoons of olive oil and some salt and pepper. Spread in a large baking pan and place in the oven on the shelf beneath the peppers.

After 12 minutes add the sweet potato dice to the eggplant pan and stir gently. Return to the oven to roast for another 12 minutes. Then add the zucchini to the pan, stir and roast for a further 10 to 12 minutes. At this point the peppers should be brown and the rest of the vegetables cooked. Remove all from the oven and reduce the temperature to 325 degrees. Cover the peppers with foil and cool, then peel and tear roughly into strips.

Heat 2 tablespoons of olive oil in a frying pan on medium heat. Saute the onions with the bay leaves and some salt for 25 minutes, stirring occasionally, until they turn brown, soft and sweet. Remove from the heat, discard the bay leaves and set aside.

Lightly grease a 9-inch loose-bottomed tart pan. Roll out the pie crust dough to a circle roughly 1/8 inch thick and large enough to line the pan, plus extra to hang over the rim. Carefully line the pan with the dough, pressing it into the corners and leaving the excess hanging over the top edge. Line the dough with a large sheet of parchment paper and fill it with pie weights or dried beans. Bake the crust for 30 minutes. Carefully remove the paper with the weights, then bake for 10 to 15 minutes more, or until it turns golden brown. Remove and allow to cool a little.

Scatter the cooked onion over the bottom of the crust and top with the roasted vegetables, arranging them evenly. Scatter half the thyme leaves over. Next, dot the veg with small chunks of both cheeses and then with the tomato halves, cut-side up.

Whisk the eggs and cream in a small bowl with some salt and pepper. Carefully pour this mix into the tart; the top layer of tomatoes and cheese should remain exposed. Scatter the remaining thyme over the top. Place in the oven and bake for 35 to 45 minutes, or until the filling sets and turns golden. Remove and allow to rest for at least 10 minutes before releasing the tart from the pan and serving. Serves 4-6

Fettuchini with Braised Kale

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1 pound kale (about 2 bunches), large center ribs and stems removed, cut crosswise into 1/2-inch slices
3 tablespoons olive oil, divided
1 medium onion, finely chopped (about 1 1/2 cups)
8 large garlic cloves, thinly sliced
1/2 pound spaghetti
2 teaspoons fresh lemon juice
Finely grated Parmesan cheese

Rinse kale. Drain; transfer to bowl with some water still clinging.
Heat 2 tablespoons olive oil in heavy large pot over medium heat. Add chopped onion and cook until soft and translucent, stirring occasionally, about 6 minutes. Add sliced garlic and sprinkle with salt; cook until onion is golden brown, stirring occasionally, about 5 minutes. Add kale and remaining 1 tablespoon olive oil and toss until wilted, about 3 minutes. Cover pot and reduce heat to medium-low. Continue cooking until kale is very tender, stirring occasionally and adding water by teaspoonfuls if dry, about 20 minutes.
Meanwhile, cook spaghetti in medium pot of boiling salted water until tender but still firm to bite, stirring occasionally. Drain, reserving 1/4 cup cooking liquid. Add cooked spaghetti to kale mixture in pot. Add lemon juice and 2 tablespoons reserved cooking liquid; toss to combine, adding more liquid by tablespoonfuls if dry. Sprinkle spaghetti with grated Parmesan cheese and serve.